Brazil is emerging as a key resource for extreme longevity studies, thanks to its highly diverse population with millions of genetic variants missing from standard datasets. Researchers at the University of São Paulo studied more than 160 centenarians, including 20 supercentenarians (110 years or older), most of whom remained mentally sharp despite limited access to health care.
Families with many members living more than 100 years indicate a stable biological inheritance. Studies show that these supercentenarians retain efficient protein processing, robust immune function and unusual cytotoxic T-cell profiles, allowing them to survive infections such as COVID-19. Brazil’s exceptionally long-lived population, both men and women, provide a unique insight into aging as a process of resilience rather than inevitable decline. This study, published in Genomic Psychiatry, shows how Brazil’s unique genetic diversity offers a window into the mechanisms of healthy aging that are absent in less diverse populations.
Source: Genomic Psychiatry
This article is in Journal of Wellbeing 222
